Former Florida head men’s basketball coach Billy Donovan stepped down after 19 seasons to accept the same position with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, he and the Florida athletic department announced on Thursday.
The Gators reached four Final Fours under Donovan, including three championship games, and captures two National Championships.
Now, UF faces the task of replacing the coach who put them on the national radar, and finding someone to compete with the likes of conference foe, and recruiting juggernaut, Kentucky. The question remains, though, whether they can attract the kind of candidates that many in the fan base want.
Archie Miller, Dayton: Miller is, without question, the hottest name in the mid-major, college basketball coaching circles. He has won 90 games in just four seasons, while making two NCAA Tournaments, and making a run to the Elite Eight in 2013-2014.
Chris Mack, Xavier: Mack had the tough task of replacing Sean Miller at XU, and has reached the NCAA Tournament in five of his six seasons at the helm. Now, Mack is an Xavier alum, so luring him away from a comfortable, and familiar job in a major conference could be difficult.
Anthony Grant, Florida (Assistant): Grant was one of the hottest names in college basketball while at VCU, and many thought he would be the guy to bring Alabama back to the realm of relevancy in the SEC. However, in six seasons, he made just one NCAA Tournament, and the UF administration might be hesitant to hire a guy who was just fired somewhere else in the conference.
Richard Pitino, Minnesota: Pitino has made a quick impression on the CBB world, having just three seasons of head coaching experience, yet being on almost every list for openings across the country. While he has recruited well at Minnesota, and won the NIT in his first season, he has yet to turn in a winning record in Big Ten play.
Ed Cooley, Providence: An assistant to Donovan at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championships, Cooley could be a name that the UF admin learns of via their former coach. Cooley has done wonders with recruiting at Providence, and has the Friars back in the mix in the Big East.
